


Remember Me

by SophinaBlackwood



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Identity Porn, Kayfabe Compliant, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-14 10:53:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7168157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophinaBlackwood/pseuds/SophinaBlackwood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyler Breeze reminisces on his final meeting with ex-boyfriend, Cody Rhodes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remember Me

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a 400 or so word ficlet for a kiss prompt. Look what happened.

“Um, so where are you taking me?” Tyler Breeze asked, pawing at the material around his eyes as he was led somewhere by a hand carefully pinching his wrist.

“No peeking!” Tye Dillinger said, smile present in his voice.

Tyler sighed. He could think of at least forteen things which were a better use of his time before Raw than this. For example: looking at himself, doing his nails, taking selfies, ribbing with Xavier, talking to the seamstress about Hermès leather he’d like sewn into his new gear, etc etc.

“This better be good. Or else my hair is going to be ruined for nothing.”

 

* * *

 

It had been thirty-one days since Tyler Breeze last saw Cody Rhodes.

Not that he was counting.

It happened in Des Moines, Iowa and Cody came to his hotel room in the dead of night, one side of his face black and blue, shirt torn as if he’d been mugged. Tyler, between stutters of confusion, hurried him onto the seat beside the vanity and began to clean up his face with a careful hand.

“I had a fight with Stardust,” he had said. Tyler didn’t understand how that was possible. He had always thought Cody and Stardust shared one body- how then could he have been beaten and bruised so badly?

Cody was apologetic. Their meetings had always been sporadic and short-lived and he was sorry that this particular one had to be during such an unfortunate time. It was rare that Cody was able to penetrate Stardust’s conscience and never for longer than a few hours or so. Tyler never fully understood how it worked. He said he didn’t care; he was just happy to see Cody again.

Tyler loved Stardust but he loved Cody too, in a different way. He often pondered over how to describe it in an eloquent way but all he was able to come up with was that while Stardust made him feel alive, Cody made him feel at home. It was an interesting experience, being the boyfriend to two personalities in one body. Somehow they made it work.

But, like a dying star entering the final era of its life, it could only last so long.

“I can’t do this anymore. I’m breaking down. I need to be myself again,” Cody had said, hissing as Tyler pressed antiseptic to his cheek, moonlight illuminating the outline of his hair and the side of his bruised cheek.

Tyler was struck with preemptive sadness. He had been happy. He didn’t want anything to change. “What do you mean?” he had asked cautiously.

“I’ve been wondering, for.. a long time now. How to-” Cody glanced around the room like he was paranoid someone was listening in, “-rid myself of Stardust.”

Tyler tried not to show his despondent heart on his face, focusing on wiping away the blood which had trickled and dried on his neck.

“And I think I’ve figured it out.”

Tyler paused, heart catching, eyes focused on Cody in an intense stare.

“Stardust came to me when I was at a crossroads in my life. I didn’t know who I was, I was confused. The weight of the Rhodes name on my back, the pressure of being Goldust’s disappointment of a brother. My father never won the title here, I wanted to do it in his stead. I needed to be successful, I needed to make my family proud, if I didn’t.. _If I didn’t…_ ”

Tyler held Cody’s hands and he gripped back so tight that he had to bite his cheek not to make a sound.

“It was too much and Stardust came to me. He saved me. I was going to implode, Tyler. Stardust let allowed me to step back, relax, regroup, recharge.” He paused and the grip loosened. “And I’ve realised the way I am now, I’ll never be able to honour my father... but Stardust won’t let me go.”

It wasn’t something Tyler knew how to deal with. He had no advice; nothing of worth to add. “What are you going to do?”

Cody inhaled deeply, then ran a hand over Tyler’s cheek, drew him close to press a kiss to his forehead. “Promise you won’t be mad?” he asked sadly.

Tyler’s brow furrowed, his stomach contracting. “Promise.”

Cody’s eyes became distant, staring into the space past Tyler. “I’m going to ask for my release.”

Tyler tore his hands from Cody’s in shock as if his skin was as white hot. His forehead felt cold, gut twisting and mind cloudy. This couldn’t be happening. Cody loved his job. He loved WWE. He would never just.. leave. _He would never… He promised…_

“Tyler,” Cody reached for him but Tyler turned his shoulder to avoid the touch. “Tyler,” he said again, strained, “It’s the only way I can be free of Stardust.”

“What about us?!” Tyler asked, hearing his throat tight and broken in his own ears.

Cody stared at the floor. “Trust me, I’ve- I’ve been holding out for a long time for us but if I let Stardust stay I’ll.. _disappear._ ”

Tyler stumbled to a stand, shaking his head. He knew it was petty. He knew he was being selfish. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me,” he spluttered, feeling mildly dissociated, like it wasn’t him saying it.

Cody sunk deeper into his shoulders, pressing both hands to his face.

Tyler wished he could yell and scream. The hotel walls were thin. He didn’t want anyone to know he was going through a bad time. For the first time in his life, he didn’t want eyes on him.

“If you leave, we’re over,” he choked.

An excruciating pause followed. “I understand,” said Cody mechanically.

“I.. I…” All Tyler could say was ‘I’ over and over, unable to form sentences as the floor wobbled and spun around him.

“TYLER?!” Cody jumped out of the seat to catch Tyler as the ground came out from under him.

“Don’t.. _TOUCH_ _ME,”_ Tyler fought, shoving Cody back and felt the wall catch him.

Cody did so, stepping back solemnly. His face dipped into darkness and his shoulders swung lightly. After a moment, he covered his face with a hand and Tyler knew what that meant.

“Tyler.” The voice was different.

“It’s over,” Tyler said, hollow and forced.

Through his fanned fingers, Stardust looked concerned. “What… is?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Tyler grit his teeth, felt the skin around his eyes itch and prickle. “I’m going to Xavier’s room. Go and wash yourself up, or something, you’re a mess.”

Stardust turned to look at himself in the mirror. His silver eye flickered over his reflection. “He came to visit you,” he said darkly, unusually monotone, “I tried to stop him. I didn’t want you to see me, us, like this.”

“Whatever,” Tyler grimaced, “I said it already; it doesn’t matter anymore.”

He retrieved his phone and left Stardust, Cody, _whoever_ , alone in his hotel room. He wouldn’t be coming back until the morning. Tyler bitterly retraced his steps to where he and Xavier had ordered room service and played video games a few hours earlier, roughly wiping his forearm across his cheek.

The next night, Fandango betrayed Goldust to ally with Tyler and, out of spite, Tyler didn’t turn him away.

Ten days later, Stardust left WWE.

 

* * *

 

“Your hair always looks _fine,_ Tyler. And I can’t trust you not to cheat.”

Tyler clicked his tongue, hand languid and bored in Tye’s grip. They kept walking and eventually he heard a door open. A few more steps forward. They stopped. Tyler wobbled, disoriented. Tye said he forgot something and for Tyler to stay put. Then the door closed. Tyler stood in silence for about ten seconds, fingers drumming against his thigh.

“Tye?” he called. His voice echoed a bit.

Nothing.

“Tye?!” Tyler waited three more seconds before sighed angrily and tearing the blindfold off his head, “What the hell kind of game are you--”

Tyler cut off as his vision came to. He was standing in the middle of a small, dark room, illuminated only by multiple lights in the shape of four point stars. His heart pumped wildly. He had been here before. It was a place he didn’t think he’d lay eyes on again. This had to be some kind of joke...

In front of him, a tall statured man with a distinct jawline; face painted silver and black with a star that stretched from the tip of his hairline down to the corners of his mouth. He was smirking proudly.

“Leo got your... tongue? _Ha ha ha ha!_ “

A beam found its way onto Tyler’s lips before he doubled over, shaky as small strained chuckles fell out of his mouth.

Stardust hesitated but stepped forward, scooping Tyler up in his arms. Even though it had only been just over a month, it felt like years since Tyler felt so safe and he hated it. Hated how he had left himself vulnerable to this man (men?). Hated how Cody adored him, protected him then left him. But, by god, he was so happy, so selfishly delighted to be embraced by Stardust again.

“ _Oh_.. no, no, don’t cry now, Tyler, my prince, my Adonis. My.. _etheeeeeeeereal_ nebula of.. **oh!!** _gorgeousness_ ~”

Tyler stretched upwards and took Stardust’s mouth, deliberate and slow, mind swirling as their tongues reunited. He could taste the nostalgic, metallic bite of the paint and it was so damn intoxicating that Tyler nearly buckled on the spot.

“I’m sorry,” Tyler broke away suddenly, gripping Stardust’s exposed arms tight. Apologies never came easily to Tyler but these ones spilled out of him like an open faucet, “ _I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I-_ -”

“Stop,” Stardust hissed endearingly, kissing him again and again, “It’s okay.”

They remained locked in each other's arms and for a strange, otherworldly moment, Tyler could swear that the silence resonated louder than their own impassioned breathing. It was as if they no longer stood on the flat, solid ground of Earth but were floating somewhere in the freedom of space. Stardust had always said he was too flawless for this world, sometimes Tyler wondered if he wouldn’t just whisk him away to another dimension.

But the bleak truth was Stardust was more human than he liked to believe.

“How did you get here?” Tyler asked, pressing his temple against Stardust’s chest, “I thought.. I thought _he_ rid himself of you.”

“There’s not much of me left,” Stardust said quietly, drawing shapes into the undercut below Tyler’s bun, “Cody allowed me.. a solitary visit.”

“No,” Tyler whined, voice tight, trying to gather Stardust up in his arms as if it simply wasn’t enough. “Don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.”

“ _What_ are you talking about?! You’ve been doing.. _exemplary_ since I left. Like an incandescent flicker!! that shines _brighter_ with each.. passing _moon_. Brighter! Yes, **brighter!!** ”

“I don’t care,” Tyler choked, “I don’t want Fandango, _I want you._ ”

“You’ll _always_ have me,” Stardust said, expression strained as he focused on keeping his voice serious and sincere, “I am _yours_. Always.” He cupped Tyler’s jawline, who leant into it, clinging to every syllable. “I love you, Tyler Breeze.”

Tyler’s eyes were wide, staring at Stardust longingly. It was so sad and so wonderful all at once. Tyler found himself with many regrets. “Of course you do,” he managed, moving to wipe his face but Stardust took his hand and kissed under his eye instead, taking the tear with his lips. He smacked his mouth with satisfaction.

Stardust cupped the other jaw and Tyler was at the complete mercy of his former flame. Their relationship seemed as brief as a shooting star now and Tyler wished that he had truly appreciated their moments together as they happened. He blinked sadly, unable to keep himself from looking like some kind of punished animal.

“I am no longer Cody Rhodes’s,” Stardust said formally, like they were partaking in a verbal signing of a contract. “I belong to you now, Tyler Breeze, and should the time come where you need me, I will be there for you. When your hand is raised in victory, I am the cheer that reverberates around you. When you fall to your knees from defeat, I am the distant warmth that reminds you to push forward. And should a moment develop when you can’t bare take another step without coming apart at the seams--” His gaze locked with Tyler’s intensely. “-- Allow me to wear that burden for you.”

It wasn’t the first time someone had donated their existence to the Gorgeous One. Though on this occasion there was a lot less fucking as it happened.

Tyler had a strange realisation as Stardust spoke. “Did Cody love you? Before you were..”

Stardust’s gaze finally broke from Tyler’s, averted as he visibly mulled over his honesty. “Yes,” he said finally, “And for a time during.. but that fact is no longer true. Not once he fell for…”

“Oh.” Tyler blinked.

Stardust smiled with empathy before kissing Tyler tenderly. He lowered his head to bump their foreheads together and there was a finality to that action that made Tyler start to weep.

“A final gift,” Stardust said softly, a wavering to his voice that wasn’t from his quirky style of speech.

Tyler looked on cheerlessly as Stardust revealed a pretty trinket. It was round and flat, fitting perfectly in his palm, if not a little smaller. Around the edge was a pattern of little stones which glittered different colours depending on where the light struck. Stardust pressed a small clasp at the bottom and it sprung open to reveal a star-shaped mirror inside.

“You bastard,” Tyler laughed mirthlessly. It was so depressingly perfect. He was distracted by his own reflection, hair unkempt and eyes puffy. What a mess. There was so much patchy discolouration on his cheeks. He was going to need to hide in his dressing room for at least half an hour to cover it all up. Stardust took his other hand shakily and a warm kiss was placed against his skin.

Tyler snapped the mirror shut and dipped his head to close his eyes, holding it close against his chest. He inhaled deep and long to compose himself before looking up and--

“Stardust?”

Tyler’s eyes frantically darted around the room. He was gone. How the hell? He stumbled backwards, searching for the lightswitch and winced as the small room brightened, the set of the Star Room suddenly seeming cheap and contrived. He searched the entire room, even behind the set material but there was only one door in and out- the one Tyler had entered from.

Tyler burst out of the room and Tye looked up from his phone, leaning against a wall a few strides down.

“Did Stardust come out of this door?!” Tyler choked up.

Tye shook his head.

“Oh my god.” Tyler put his hands over his mouth and doubled over, feeling the metal of the mirror compact cold against the septum of his nose. Tye had moved forward to hug him but as Tyler looked up, he saw that his friend was still standing several feet away, expression cautious and concerned.

What a bizarre sensation; his mind in dissension with his body. It definitely felt like Tye had held him. If not him then, who? Tyler’s eyes widened, inhaling sharply.

_I will be the distant warmth that reminds you to push forward._

Somehow, even if he was too _human_ to fully comprehend, he felt a little less alone than he had one hour before. Stardust loved him. Cody had too. Tyler turned the mirror over and his heart stuttered as he saw two words engraved sweetly on the back.

‘ **Remember Me**.’


End file.
